When reading turns into a nightly struggle, it can be hard to know what to do next. Should you practice longer, contact the teacher, or look for specialized support? Start by making the difficulty specific. A clear description of what your child finds hard gives you and the school a better starting point than “reading is not going well.”
For families in Katy and the Houston area, the first step can be a short conversation supported by a few examples. You do not need to arrive with a diagnosis or a folder full of technical terms.
Write down what happens during reading
During an ordinary homework or reading session, note where your child needs help. Do they pause at unfamiliar words, lose their place, or need you to explain what a sentence means? Record the task, the kind of help you offered, and what happened afterward. These observations are conversation starters, not a test for dyslexia.
Include strengths, too. What topics interest your child? What can they explain confidently when you discuss a story together? A useful support conversation should include what is working as well as what is difficult.
Ask the school for a clear picture
Request a conversation with the teacher. Bring a recent work sample and your observations, then ask three concrete questions: Which reading skills are secure? Which skills need instruction? What information shows whether the current support is helping?
Ask for explanations in everyday language. If a report gives a score, ask what that score means for the work your child does in class. Before the conversation ends, agree on who will follow up and when you will talk again.
If you suspect dyslexia, ask the school how to raise your concerns about an evaluation. The Texas Education Agency’s dyslexia resource page provides the state handbook, parent information, and Spanish-language resources. Reading difficulty alone does not establish a diagnosis.
Make the next reading session manageable
Ask your child’s teacher or intervention provider for one specific practice task connected to the current lesson. Find out what help to give when your child gets stuck and when to stop. This avoids turning home practice into a second, competing instructional plan.
You might ask: “Can you show me one example of what you want us to practice?” A demonstration can be more useful than a long list of activities. Keep a brief note of questions that come up so the next session can address them.
Bring these four things to a support conversation
Your concern: One sentence describing the difficulty that prompted you to reach out.
A work sample: A recent reading or writing assignment, shared through the provider’s preferred secure process.
Current support: What school or outside instruction your child already receives.
Your goal: A task you want to become more manageable, such as reading a short passage with less help.
Explore reading support with RWK
Read With Kourtni is based in Katy and offers virtual reading support for K–12 learners across Texas. Founder Kourtni Sampson, M.Ed., LDT, CALT, brings more than 20 years of classroom experience to RWK’s work.
Explore reading and writing intervention or dyslexia therapy, then start a conversation about your child’s needs. The goal of that first conversation is a clearer next step.